2016 Alexander Dalrymple Award presented to Singapore’s Parry Oei

The United Kingdom
Hydrographic Office (UKHO), the world-leading provider of hydrographic and
geospatial data, has awarded the 2016 Alexander Dalrymple Award to (pictured right) Dr Parry
Oei, Director (Port Services) and Chief Hydrographer at the Maritime and Port
Authority of Singapore (MPA).

The Alexander Dalrymple Award,
established in 2006 and named in honour of the first Hydrographer of the Royal
Navy in 1795, is presented by the UKHO in recognition of an outstanding
contribution to world hydrography. It is awarded inconjunction with the
celebrations of World Hydrography Day (21 June), a United Nations-endorsed recognition of
the vital role of hydrography in supporting safe navigation and sustainable use
of the world's seas, oceans and waterways.

Singapore is one of the world's
busiest ports and plays a vital role in world trade as a global shipping hub
and maritime gateway to Asia. Dr Parry Oei has served as Singapore's Chief
Hydrographer since 2004 and has been a key international figure in the
promotion and development of Electronic Navigational Charts in Asia.

The 2016 Alexander Dalrymple Award
was presented to Dr Oei by John Humphrey, Chief Executive of the UKHO, at a
World Hydrography Day Reception held at the International Maritime Organization
in London on 21st July. Mr Humphrey said: "Dr Parry Oei has made a tireless
contribution to the International Hydrographic Community, particularly his
leadership in delivering the first Singapore Electronic Navigational Charts, as
well as his guidance within the East Asia Hydrographic Commission's capacity building
initiatives and the tripartite Marine Electronic Highway Working Group in the
Straits of Malacca and Singapore. Dr Oei has made a difference to hydrography
in East Asia, he is currently making a difference with his work as chairman of
the International Hydrographic Organisation's Inter-Regional Coordination
Committee and he is a very worthy recipient of the Alexander Dalrymple Award."

"It is fitting that we present this
award at the UK's World Hydrography Day celebration, as we seek to raise
awareness of hydrography and the importance of the seas and waterways to
everyone's lives. We should also remember the important work of the IMO on the
implementation of the mandatory carriage of ECDIS. The use of ENCs has steadily
increased year-by-year and as of May 2016, 51% of all vessels that are subject
to the SOLAS regulations on the mandatory carriage of ECDIS, including those
that do not trade internationally, are now fully ECDIS ready."

Rear Admiral Tim Lowe (pictured left), the United
Kingdom National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive of the UKHO, hailed
the collaborative approach taken by the international hydrographic community: "This year's theme for World
Hydrography Day is ‘Hydrography - the key to well managed seas and waterways'.
This is intended to focus attention on the importance of our knowledge of the
shape, nature and depth of the seafloor as a fundamental requirement for the
proper, safe, sustainable and cost effective use of the world's seas, oceans
and waterways."

"With so much of the world's oceans and
waterways still to survey and chart to modern standards, our theme allows us to
highlight and encourage innovative supplementary data gathering initiatives to
help obtain better and more useful data, such as depths in areas where coverage
is sparse."

"For me and my fellow National
Hydrographers, one of our key aims is to do our very best to keep Mariners safe
at sea, providing accurate and authoritative data such that the Mariner can
make well informed decisions. The UKHO will continue to play an active role in
international efforts to achieve this aim, something that can only be achieved
by working together with our partners around the world, through the leadership
of the International Hydrographic Organization."